Can-feeding apparatus



NL E. WILBERIS.

CAN mmm; APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DE'CL 2.8, I92I, i ASU, l 32., Patented Sept. 26, 1922.

2 sHEETs-sHEET 1 ATTO-WND,

IVI. E. WILBVERTS.

CAN FEEDI'NG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.A 28, 1921.

Img PfIIenIedSepI. 26,1922.

lljatentedv Sept.. 26,' i922..

i MARTN E. WILBERTS, 0F HONOLULU, HAWAIIAN PINEAPPLE COMPANY,

TERRITORY 0F HAWAII, ASSIGNOR T0 LIMTED, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY CAN-remain@ APPARATUS.

' application feed December as, i921. serial'iro. 525,355.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, MART-1N E. WILnR'rs,

a citizen ofthe United States, residing atA Honolulu, rTerritory of Hawaii, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Can-FeedingApparatus; and l 'do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled infthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

rlhe invention relatesto a device for feeding cans to syruping 4or other machines of a similar nature in which the cans are to be delivered to the machine in a continuous single row with the cans' contiguous, so that the syrup or other material may be fed in proper proportions to the successive cans without interrupting such feeding action. To this end the invention comprises,l primarily, a rotary feed table adapted to receive i a relatively large number of cans and discharge them in a single row of rcontiguous units to the receiving end of the syruping or other machine, such for example as a filling machine. rFhe rotatable table is formed of a smoothly finished top.

having the contour of a very flat right circular cone, near the peripheral edge of which is located guard rails, the ends of which on the discharge side of the table are separated by substantially the width of the can, a stationary guide railJ being associatedwithv the end of one ofthe guard railsv to provide'a discharge for thetable adapted to receive a single row of contiguous cans 1 and deliver the same to the receiving table and or other element of the syruping or *equivalent machine. Preferably, the circular rotatable table is associated with a stationary table, which has one edge cut out to register withthe peripheral edge of the rotatable table, the guard rails being extended about the edges of the stationary table to-.retain the cans thereon preparatory lto moving them onto the rotatable table.

The invention' is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which: .v

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine associated withv a syruping machine, which latter is diagrammatically illustrated,

Fig. 2 is aniend elevation of the machine,

Fig. 3 isa side elevation thereof.. Referring to" the drawlngs, 1 1nd1cates erably made of smoothly finished metal, so

that the cans may slide easily thereon, and for this purpose is given the form of a very Hat right circular cone, the pitch or angular inclination of the sides of the cone being about six degrees. The' top section 4 of the rotatable -`table is supported by a vertical spindle 5, journaled in a base or support 6 and having fixed thereto a sprocket wheel 7, whichis driven by a sprocket chain 8 which in turn is actuated by any suitable driving means, such, for example, as one of the rotatable elements of the syruping or filling machine to which the cans are fed by the rotatable table.

As indicated, the device is shown associ- 'ated with asyruping machine which intinued about the edges of thestationary table, Vexcept the front and arcuate edgesof the latter, are guard rails 10 and 16, supported by brackets 11 and 17 respectively, which serve to retain the cans on both tables. The ends of thek guard rails 10 and 16 at the discharge section of the circular table 4 are spaced apart a distance substantiall equal to the diameter of aI can and the rail 16 is connected with an arcuate `guide rail 19 fixed by bracket 20 above the feed table 21 of the syruping machine. A second guide rail 12 carried by bracket 13, secured by a set screw 15 to a vertical rod 14, is disposed in substantial parallelism with the rail 1,9 above the table 21 and has its forward end extending through the-opening between the ends of the rails 10 and 16 and is curved in substantial parallelism with the adjacent end of the rail 16 to constitute a discharge or guide-way for a single row of cans in contiguous relation, so as to direct and distable 21 of the syruping machine. The forward end of the guide rail 12 is' extended over the surface of the table 4 to an lextent sufficient to form a guide-way to recelve several of the cans, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The revolving table is driven at a speed somewhat in excess of the actual speed necessary to keep the syruping or other machine full of cans in a single contiguous row with the cans touching each other. The cans are delivered from suitable racks onto the stationary table and are shoved en masse by the operator onto the revolving conical table 4, the rotary motion ofv which causes the cans to slide toward the periphery of the table, the outer row of cans engaging the guard rail 16 andbeing forced in continuous series into the guide-way formed by the forward extension of the guide rail 12 and the end of the guard rail 16 and thus onto the table 21 of the vsyruping machine or onto an equivalent feeding dev1ce of a filling or other machine designed to operate on the cans in sequence,

As indicated, the inclination of the conical table 4 is just sufficient to cause the cans to slide when the table is in motion and is not enough to cause the contents of the cans to be spilled during the feeding operation. Once on the revolving table in upright position, the cans find their way automatically and in a single row of contlguous elements into the guide-way formed by the parallel sections of rails 12 and 16 and thence onto the table 21. The cans in the inner rows on the table 4 are carried around successively until they reach the guide rail 16, so that the feeding action is automatic after the cans are placed upon the table 4. By

means of this apparatus a single operator can supply 'all of the cans to a machine,

whereas in the prior types of feeding devices it has always been necessary to employ at least two operators. is therefore not only economical in saving of man power but makes for improved sanitary conditions, as it involves less handling of. the open cans and provides ay contlnuous automatic supply of the cans to the syruping or other machine without skips or open spaces.

What I claim is: 1. A feeding device for cans comprising a table having a flat conical top surface ro- Itatalole lin a horizontal plane, stationary The invention above the conical table to form a discharge for a continuous single row of contiguous cans.

3. A feeding device for cans comprising a rotatable fiat conical table, a vstationary table having one edgerecessed to register with the edge of the rotatable table, stationary guard rails near the edges of the rotatable and stationary tables, and a guide rail parallel with the end of one guard rail forming a discharge for a continuous single row of contiguous cans; i

In testimony whereof l aix m signature. 

